Amateur-built FALCON XP accident near Mt Olive, Alabama, September 1, 1986
On September 1, 1986 at about 10:30 pm local time, a amateur-built FALCON XP, registered N548YA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt Olive, Alabama (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 1986 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mt Olive, Alabama · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built FALCON XP
- Registration
- N548YA · no longer on the register · serial 600134
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE APCHG TO LAND, THE REGISTERED ULTRALIGHT ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT WHICH EXCEEDED ITS CLIMB PERFORMANCE. THE ACFT WAS HEADED TWD POWER LINES, SO THE PLT ELECTED TO FLY UNDER THE LINES. AS THE ULTRALIGHT WAS CROSSING UNDER THE POWER LINES, ONE OF ITS VERTICAL FINS HIT THE BOTTOM CABLE WHICH DISABLED THE ACFT'S LEFT RUDDER CONTROL. THE ACFT TURNED TO THE RGT TWD A HILL & WOULD NOT CLIMB SUFFICIENTLY TO CLEAR OVER TREES. THE PLT INTENTIONALLY ALLOWED THE ACFT TO MUSH INTO THE TREES WHILE HE STILL HAD CONTROL.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 125 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 51 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 13, 1985; 9 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,900 ft; not recorded at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:48 pm from BHM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.